Des Plaines, IL Property Maintenance: Garage Sale Rules (2026)

Des Plaines generally allows residents to hold garage, yard, or moving sales at their home as a permitted residential accessory activity. Most municipal codes in the Chicago area limit sales to no more than 2 to 4 events per address per calendar year, with each sale lasting no more than 3 consecutive days. Sales must occur during daytime hours, typically between 8 am or 9 am and 6 pm or 8 pm, to avoid noise and traffic disturbance to neighbors. Items sold must be the personal property of the household; reselling new merchandise or operating a recurring resale business is not a garage sale and may violate home occupation rules. Goods may not be displayed on the public sidewalk or parkway. Garage sale signs may be posted on the host property and on other private property with the owner's consent, but not in the public right-of-way or on utility poles. Estate sales conducted by a third party may have additional requirements. Sales tax obligations under Illinois's Retailers' Occupation Tax Act do not generally apply to occasional garage sales of personal property.